VO2 max intervals
Hard interval sessions to raise peak aerobic capacity
Roughly once a week, on top of easier cardio, short intervals that are genuinely hard. The format most often named is the four-minutes-hard, four-minutes-easy "Norwegian 4x4". VO2 max is one of the strongest single predictors of all-cause mortality in the epidemiology, which is why longevity-minded people train it explicitly rather than hoping it comes along for free. It is unpleasant by design, and it does not need much volume.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Bryan JohnsonDoes it
Founder · Blueprint longevity protocol
Trains peak aerobic capacity deliberately and publishes his VO2 max as a headline biomarker, reporting a personal record of 53.6.
Source: bryanjohnson.com: Project Blueprint - Peter AttiaDoes it
Physician · The Drive · author of Outlive
One hard interval session a week goes on top of the easy cardio, because peak aerobic capacity is among the strongest predictors of mortality.
Source: Outlive (official book page)“If we’re going to just talk in magnitude, VO2 max and muscular strength stand in a league of their own. There’s really nothing that’s within the ZIP code of those two metrics.”
The Tim Ferriss Show #661 transcript (opens in a new tab) · 17 Mar 2023 - Rhonda PatrickDoes it
Biomedical scientist · FoundMyFitness
Does Tabata-style intervals on a Peloton for peak aerobic capacity, and has covered the Norwegian four-by-four protocol in detail without following it herself.
Source: FoundMyFitness: interval training and VO2 max - Nick BareRecommends
Hybrid athlete · Bare Performance Nutrition founder
VO2 max falls as you age, he writes, so he argues for building it while young and holding it with zone two work plus some high-intensity zone five efforts. He frames the whole thing as a health span question rather than a racing one.
Source: BPN: 6 Years of Hybrid Athlete Training, The Top 3 Benefits - Chris HemsworthDiscusses
Actor · Limitless and Centr
He names VO2 max, muscle mass and strength as the biggest indicators of lifespan and health span, and gives that as one reason he has no plan to stop training. He has not described a specific interval protocol.
Source: Sharp Magazine: Chris Hemsworth Talks Stunt Work, Discipline, and His Fitness App, Centr - Jeff NippardDiscusses
Natural bodybuilder · Science-based lifting
On HIIT, he is cautious. It is time-efficient and less boring for some, he grants, but harder to recover from and more likely to interfere with lifting. In a decade of coaching he rarely prescribed it more than once or twice a week, and often only when the client preferred it.
Source: jeffnippard.com blog: The Worst Cardio Mistakes Most People Make For Fat Loss (Avoid These)
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or longevity.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
On record from 21 of 62 tracked people: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
On record from 8 of 62 tracked people: 7 do it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Daily stretching
Long, regular stretching sessions to undo years of tightness and keep training possible
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it, 1 has discussed it
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